Check Engine

I apologize to my Instagram followers for repeating my vacation story here, but I’m on vacation!

Last year our vehicle gave us a lot of grief and spent many weeks in the garage. If you’re a regular reader, you may recall a traumatic experience on the highway when our entire dash went black and the engine died.

Shook up, with little trust left in the car we loved, we went shopping. We test-drove many beautiful vehicles, all sporting the latest features and wafting that new-car smell. But, despite their gadgets and shininess, we couldn’t find one that we liked as much as the one that broke our hearts. As we continued to drive it about the city with no additional hiccups, however, little by little, it regained our trust.

Our confidence grew enough to plan a road trip; and, not just the 1500-kilometre straight path, but a meandering route with side excursions in each of the four provinces we drove through. The joy our vehicle had first given us five years ago had returned. The ride was comfortable, and the 6-cylinder engine responded immediately to a bit of foot-pressure.

On the ten-minute ride back to the hotel from visiting a friend last night, on Day 7 of our trip, we were dismayed to see the Check Engine light glowing on the display. A garage visit was not on our itinerary, but has been added. The light indicates that something is wrong, and we shouldn’t turn a blind eye to the warning.

Life throws us those curves. We are riding along, comfortable and feeling content, when something happens that attempts to derail us. Sometimes the problems that pop up in our lives are like that Check Engine light. God is warning us that there is something wrong in our souls and we need to stop and check it out. Sometimes it’s a gentle reminder that we still need Him. God desires relationship and, like any loved one, He likes us to spend time with Him and show Him that we love Him back.

This morning, I woke up grateful that our vehicle did not break down on the highway last night; that we made it safely to our hotel without further incident. I took the opportunity to thank my Father for watching over us and loving us. Even while on vacation, I will reserve time for Him. I will not ignore the Check Engine light of my soul.

Father, forgive us for getting comfortable and enjoying life too much to involve You in our plans. Help us to stay close to You, even while on vacation. Thank You for Your protection and favor. Amen.

Do you ever notice that when things seem to be going really well, your prayer life gets a little more shallow? When you have needs, you are constantly asking for God’s help.

Is He looking for your attention today? Spend some time with Him. He likes to hang out with you.

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Update

In case you were wondering, we were back on the road after a 40-minute garage visit. A slow leak of pressure in the EVAP system caused the warning light to come on. If you know anything about cars, that might make sense to you.

The good news is, they assured us we SHOULD be able to make it back to Ottawa…

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